Diamondback Moth

Diamondback Moth

(Plutella maculipennis), a butterfly of the family Plutellidae, injurious to cruciferpus plants. Wing-span, 14–17 mm. The anterior wings are grayish or blackish brown with a wavy white stripe on the interior edge; the posterior wings are gray with a long fringe. The caterpillar is 9–12 mm long, spindle-shaped, and green. The eggs are pale yellow. The diamondback moth is distributed throughout the world. It does most damage to cabbage and rutabaga plants. There are between one and eight generations each year; the chrysalides winter on cruciferous weeds, stumps, and leaves. The moths emerge between April and June. One to three eggs are laid on the underside of leaves or on stems. The caterpillars first penetrate into the leaf tissue. They subsequently appear on the leaf surface, eating “little windows” in the leaves. Measures taken against the diamond-back moth include destruction of weeds, tillage of harvest remains, and treatment of plants with insecticides and the microbiological preparation entobacterin.

A new pesticide-free and environmentally-friendly way to control insect pests has moved ahead today with the publication of scientific results showing that Oxitec diamondback moths (DBM) with a 'self-limiting gene' can dramatically reduce populations of DBM, an invasive species and serious pest of cabbages, kale, canola and other crucifer crops around the world.

In the new results published today, scientists from the US, UK and China show that diamondback moth populations in greenhouses were well controlled within 8 weeks.

Cabbage, broccoli, collards, kale, and other cole crops are an all-you-can-eat salad bar for diamondback moths, a pest named for the diamond-shaped markings embellishing its wings.

To the farmer's dismay, diamondback moths are becoming resistant to almost everything, including Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-based insecticides that are widely used to kill certain pests while preserving beneficial insects.

In addition to synthetic insecticide-resistance development worldwide, several pests have developed resistance to foliar Bt, including Indianmeal moths, diamondback moths, and at least nine other insects," says entomologist D.

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